Tonga was struck by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported, which came less than two weeks after the Pacific region was ravaged by an underwater volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami.
The USGS has revised the quake’s depth to 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) after first reporting the quake happened at a depth of 14.5 kilometers (9 miles).
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage so far.
“The ship will berth, and no contacts will be made. Australians from the ship will unload their cargoes and sail from port,” Tonga’s Health Minister Saia Piukala told Broadcom Broadcasting radio.
The authorities have insisted that all foreign aid be delivered without any person-to-person contact and that supplies sent by aid flights be left unpacked for 72 hours to minimize the risk of infection.
The contactless protocol is intended to avert an outbreak in Tonga, one of the few countries free of the virus, with only one case of infection known since the pandemic began.
Australia has delivered more than 40 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to Tonga, including shelter materials, water, and sanitation supplies, equipment to restore communications, and personal protective equipment for people clearing ash.
The government of Scott Morrison has committed an additional $2 million (US$1.4 million) in humanitarian funding to assist Tonga, bringing the total commitment to $3 million (US$2.1 million) so far.
